Shockload resistant canopy release

ABSTRACT

The Canopy Release is for the purpose of connecting the webbings from a canopy or parachute to a harness worn by a person. The device includes a male connector member insertable in a female connector member and a releasable locking device for locking the male member in the female member. The male member is connected to one webbing and it has a prong having a keeper recess in at least one edge and it is inserted into a pocket in the female member; a lock in the female member is moveable into and out of the pocket to interlock with the keeper recess and to release the same; a pin in the lock is journalled in the female member and in a cover plate having a substantially U-shaped slot therein; a manipulating frame is connected to the pin so as to turn the pin when the manipulating frame is turned; a guide extends from the manipulating frame into the U-shaped slot and is resiliently urged into the respective ends of the U-shaped slot thereby to prevent a turning movement of the frame until the guide is moved into the curved middle portion of the U-shaped slot; a manipulating handle is resiliently concealed in the manipulating frame slides the guide out of the respective ends of the U-shaped slot and into the curved portion thereby to permit the turning of the manipulating frame for withdrawing the lock from or turning it into the keeper recess in the prong of the male member.

CL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The positive locking of the releasable strap connectors to preventaccidental canopy release is a continuing problem because the safety ofpersonnel is involved and accidental release of webbing connected to aparachute is usually fatal. Accidental disconnecting of webbing isfrequently caused by a shock which inadvertently unlocks or releases theconnectors. Also, accidental striking of a portion of the connector orthe connector being caught in some other object can cause accidentalrelease.

The primary object of this invention is to provide releasable webbingconnectors so locked together that the manipulating parts are positivelylocked against any accidental movement from either the locking or thereleased position, yet can be easily manipulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide in releasable strapconnectors a manipulating and locking device which can be operated byone finger and which can be easily found without looking at theconnectors, and which also requires the operator to continuously engagethe device throughout the releasing operation or throughout the lockingoperation, and which may be inter-locked in canopy release body ineither front or back position; the device is also adapted to operate inone way lockup.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adapter in a canopyrelease which is connected by a webbing to the usual canopy release asan auxiliary release and which can be positively locked and yet issimple in construction with the minimum number of parts, and which hasconcealed operating parts protected against accidental engagement.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a developed view of the parts of the webbing connectors.

FIG. 2 is a fragmental perspective view of the manipulating frame andthe guide device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the connector members connected.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the female connector member, thesection being taken on lines 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the connectors released.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental sectional view of the guide device in the femaleconnector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A male member body 1 has a cross head 2 with a slot 3 for webbing. Theprong 4 of the body 1 is flat and it has at least one keeper recess 6 inan edge thereof.

The female connecting member has a base body 7 which has a slot 8 at itslower end for engagement by another webbing. In this illustrativeembodiment there is an additional ear 9 extending from the back of thebase body 7 which also has a slot 11 therein to accomodate additionalwebbing when required. The base body 7 has a pocket 12 with an opening13 at its top so as to accomodate the prong 4 of the male body 1.Adjacent the opening 13 of the pocket 12 are opposite shoulders 14 uponwhich rest the lower shoulders 16 of the elongated head 2 of the maleconnecting member when inserted into the pocket 12. In one side 17 ofthe pocket 12 is a side recess 18 extending into the body to a depth toaccommodate a cam-shaped lock 19. A pin 21 extends from each side of thelock 19 and through a cover plate 22 secured over the pocket 12. The pin21 is rotatable so that as it is turned in one direction as shown inFIG. 3, the lock 19 projects into the adjacent registering keeper recess6 of the prong 4 thereby locking it into connected position. By turningthe pin 21 in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG.5, the lock 19 is rotated out of the keeper recess 6 and into the siderecess 18 thereby releasing the prong 4.

A hole 23 through the coverplate 22 registers with the pin 21 and thepin extends beyond the cover plate 22 and fastened into a hole inmounting block 32 of manipulating frame 31. The plate 22 has a doublebayonet slot 24 therein, namely the slot 24 is generally U-shaped with acurved or arcuate middle portion 26 centered about the pin 21, and alocking end portion 27 at the upper end and another locking end portion28 at the lower end of the middle portion 26.

A manipulating frame 31 has a mounting block 32 thereof suitablyfastened on the pin 21 so that when the manipulating frame 31 is turnedthe pin 21 turns with it and accordingly turns the lock 19 either intoor out of the pocket 12.

The top edge of the manipulating frame 31 is formed into an enlarged hub33 which has a passage 34 therethrough. The middle portion of the hub 33is cut away to form a recess 36 which is in registry with the slot 24. Ashaft 37 extends through the passage 34 and through an end 38 of the hub33 and is slidable and rotatable therein. On the shaft 37 is a head 39of a guide 41. The guide 41 is so spaced from the hole in block 32 thatwhen the mounting block 32 is mounted on the pin 21 the guide 41projects into the slot 24. A longitudinal slot 42 through the bottom ofthe recess 36 permits linear sliding of the guide 41 in the slot 24 forshifting into the ends 27 or 28 of the double bayonet slot 24. A tongueand tension spring 43 in an enlarged cylinder 44 on the end of the shaft37 normally urges the shaft 37 away from the hub end 38. A cap 45 fitsinto the outer end of the cylinder 44 and anchors the adjacent end ofthe spring 43.

A manipulating handle 46 is concealed in a cavity of the manipulatingframe 31. The handle 46 is in the form of a ring. Bearing lugs 47 extendfrom the top of the manipulating handle 46 and are secured to the shaft37 by a pin 48. The spring 43 also turns the shaft 37 and thereby keepsthe handle 46 in the cavity of the manipulating frame 31. The bearinglugs 47 straddle the head 39 of the guide 41, so that when themanipulating handle 46 is pulled out of the cavity then it can be pulledto the left viewing FIG. 3, namely so as to shift the shaft 37 and movethe guide 41 from the end of the respective slot ends 27 or 28 therebyto bring the guide 41 into registry with the curved portion 26 and allowthe rotating of the handle 46 and the manipulating frame 31 in therespective directions for moving the lock 19 into locking or unlockingpositions respectively.

The assembled device is shown in interlocking position in FIG. 3. Inorder to release this adapter, the operator pulls the handle ring 46 outof the cavity 47 and pulls it so as to slide the guide 41 to the curvedportion 26 of the double bayonet slot 24. Then by exerting a turningforce on the handle 46 in a contra-clockwise direction viewing FIG. 3the entire frame 31 is turned while the guide 41 rides in the curvedslot portion 26 from the top bayonet slot 27 downwardly thereby turningthe pin 21 and the lock 19 also in a contra-clockwise direction so thatby the time the guide 41 reaches the lower bayonet slot 28 the lock iscompletely withdrawn from the keeper recess 6 of the prong 4 and intothe side recess 18 thereby disconnecting and releasing the connectors.Then by releasing the handle ring 46, the spring 43 returns the shaft 37to its initial position thereby moves the guide 41 to the end of thelower bayonet slot 28 and locks the manipulating frame 31 in theconnector releasing attitude. The handle ring 46 is returned to itsinitial position into the cavity 47 by the shaft 37 to which it issecured by a pin 48.

For interlocking the male and female members, the handle ring 46 isagain pulled out of the cavity and pulled to shift the shaft 38 andthereby slide the guide 41 out of the lower bayonet slot 28 and intoregistry with the curved slot portion 26. Then by further turning thehandle 46 in a clockwise direction viewing FIG. 5, the manipulatingframe 31 is turned clockwise while the guide 41 travels to the upperbayonet slot 27 and the lock 19 is turned into projecting positioninterlocking with the adjacent keeper recess 6. Then the handle 46 isreleased, the spring 43 returns the shaft 37 to the initial positionlocking the guide 41 into the top bayonet slot 27, and the handle 46snaps into the cavity 47 as heretofore described, and the connectors arepositively interlocked.

I claim:
 1. In a webbing connector,a male connector member, a femaleconnector member having a pocket therein, a part of said male connectormember being insertable into said pocket and having a keeper recesstherein, a lock in said female connector projectable into said recessfor locking said connector members together, a manipulating member onsaid female member for moving said lock into and out of said recess atwill, and locking means to lock said manipulating member in the lockingposition of said lock, means to rotatably hold said manipulating memberon said female member, means to translate the rotating motion of saidmanipulating member into moving said lock into and out of said keeperrecess at will, said locking means including a guide element on saidfemale body adjacent said manipulating member, a guide on saidmanipulating member coacting with said guide element, said guide elementhaving a middle portion substantially concentric with the center ofrotation of said manipulating member, and having an end portion at eachend of said middle portion extending at an angle to the middle portionto block said guide from movement about said center, and manipulatablemeans to shift said guide out of the respective end portions and to saidmiddle portion thereby to free said manipulating member for rotatingmanipulation.
 2. The webbing connector specified in claim 1,andresilient means to urge said guide into said respective end portionsfor preventing rotation of said manipulating member.
 3. The webbingconnector specified in claim 1, anda handle on said manipulating member,and resiliently yieldable means holding said handle concealed ininoperative position in said manipulating member.
 4. The webbingconnector specified in claim 1, andresiliently yieldable means to holdsaid manipulating member in inoperative attitude relatively to saidfemale member, and a handle connected to said holding means forreleasing said holding means and operating said manipulating member. 5.In a webbing connector,a male connector member, a female connectormember, means to interlock said connector members, and releasing meansto release said interlocking means at will, including a rotatablemanipulating member for operating said releasing means for moving saidinterlocking means into and out of interlocking positions, means to locksaid manipulating member in the locking position of said releasingmeans, said manipulating member including a guide slot in said femalebody adjacent said manipulating member, said slot having an arcuateportion substantially concentric with the center of rotation of saidmanipulating member, and at least one locking slot portion at angle tosaid arcuate slot portion, a guide on said manipulating member engagedin and riding in said slot, said locking slot portion being at suchangle as to obstruct said guide against rotating movement of saidmanipulating member, and handle means to shift said guide into saidarcuate slot portion and to rotate said manipulating member.
 6. In a webconnector,a male connector member, a female connector member having apocket therein, a prong on the male connector member insertable intosaid pocket, said prong having a keeper recess on an edge thereof, acam-like lock in a side of said pocket in registry with said keeperrecess, means to turn the lock into and out of said keeper recess, saidmeans including a cover for said pocket having a substantially U-shapedslot therein, a pin fixed in said lock and journalled in said cover andextended therethrough, a manipulating frame superimposed on said coverand secured to said pin, whereby the turning of said frame turns saidpin and said lock into and out of locking position, a guide on saidframe riding in said slot, the middle portion of said slot being arcuatecentered about said pin, whereby said guide in the end portions of saidU-shaped slot prevents the turning of said frame, said guide beingslidable in said frame from either end portion of said U-shaped slot tosaid arcuate middle portion, resilient means to urge said guide intosaid end portions, handle means on said frame connected to said guidefor manually sliding said guide and for turning said frame.